There wasn’t much of this beer made; only about 300 cases will see any distribution. And it’s a seasonal, one-time run of this single-hop barleywine. Elevation’s Arête is actually a blended barleywine, constructed over two separate batches (one of which was particular dry and high in ABV), the result being a significantly detailed American-style version that feels like it gives much more depth than a beer of this size normally would, especially...

Fact is, Irish-style dry stouts generally tend to be reasonably light in alcohol, and those early sips (post-warming!) of Negra Stout offer up an immensely generous beer for being slightly over 5%. A medium-brown head caps the pour, with generous notes of bitter chocolate and roasted malts flying out of the glass. Hints of caramel and maybe even a touch of vanilla are present and serve to round out those darker, slightly charred malt qualities.

Pouring a very hazy deep brown, this traditional unfiltered weissbier generates a very sizeable head, as is typical for the style. The strong carbonation results from the abundance of yeast, which also greatly contributes to the beer’s cloudiness. When pouring, feel free to swirl up the last bit of sediment in the bottle and add that in to your glass – it’s all part of the weissbier experience. On the nose, expect a complex profile driven by...

This “helles” (light or pale) lager pours a crystal-clear pale straw color topped with a large crop of bright white foam. We really enjoyed the aroma on this brew, which is defined by some very expressive, though delicate, Hallertauer hops. Fürsten Trunk is a wonderful showcase for this quintessentially Bavarian hop which leaves its mark on so many fine German beers; look for a beautiful balance among grassy (almost hay-like) notes, spice...

Hampshire Special Ale pours an amber-red color with an ample, creamy, light khaki colored head. On the nose, a malty aroma with a firm hop bite is readily apparent. Look for toasty, caramel, and fruity notes with a honey-like quality, joined with floral hops and an underlying citric impression. As it warms, hints of the 7.0% ABV begin to peak through. Take a sip and…Wow! Lot’s going on here! Look for it to open with big fruity notes akin to...

This English-style Porter pours a very deep, dark brown with an ample, rocky, and rich-looking brown head that descends to a persistent cap of foam. As we lifted the glass to our noses we were immediately impressed by the aroma profile that leapt from the glass. Look for big and very creamy notes of caramel, toffee, coffee grounds, cocoa powder, and a firm nuttiness. On the palate, a more pronounced roasty character than indicated on the nose...

Originally contract-brewed by the Atlanta Brewing Company for The Vortex, a local restaurant, Laughing Skull was a local favorite in town that disappeared in 2005. But the skull had the last laugh, returning in 2009, albeit in modified form. Instead of a Bohemian pilsner, the beer is now an amber ale, and it picked up a Gold Medal in that category at the 2011 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Expect a great balance of spicy, peppery hops and floral...

Red Brick’s flagship brew pours a lightly hazy, rich amberish-copper color, topped with plenty of foam that retains very well. This is exactly the kind of beer we love featuring in our new Hop-Heads Beer Club. Juicy and sweetly fruity hops jump out in the aroma, presenting plenty of orange & tangerine citrus notes, softened by some pleasant floral overtones, a touch of pine, and perhaps a stone-fruit hint as well. The hops control the scene in the flavor department too, of course, delivering their fruity-floral-herbal...